FEINBERG/WHITMAN LITERARY FILE Prose "The Centennial" (1874). A. MS. draft. Box 32 Folder 36 Includes paper wrappers. 1874 The Centennial: prose. A.MS. (5p. in folder, various sizes: 28 1/2 X 20 1/2, 25 X 19 1/4, 13 1/4 X 23 1/4, 14X19 1/2 cm.) Written in ink, with some corrections in red ink, some in pencil, some in blue pencil, on five sheets of different kinds and sizes, one with a slip pasted to the bottom (two lines on the verso: Has not the time arrived / Is it not time here), all in a folder of orange paper with 'Material / for / Centennia' on the front abd 'Remaining after orbic Literature / Literature' inside the front cover, in all about 876 words: Much of this is used in "Tis But 10 Years Since" *(aye, amid all The Centennial to-day's unprecedented paltriness and corruption in legislative & official life) The first Centennial of the Union of These States at hand--the Secession war of 1861-5 already becoming a thing of the past, though potent in its its most important yet undeveloped results in changing our destiny & giving cast to the future far, far beyond any thought yet expressed) [over] --the) new & fresh generations sweeping in like ocean waves of rapidly obliterating the fierce passions of that contest, & of the years preceding it-- the scars & mutilations of the war, or the worst of them, even now, quite sloughed over, healed The Republic trebled their Union restored & with doubled solidarity identity vaults in akk appearances to dominant position among the governments of the world, in extent, population, & the latent resources of naval and military power -- the 22nd Presidentiad & # the important questions settled, clinched forever by the reflection of Gen. Grant --these, and the like of these, in my opinion bring us America to stand at last on solid ground, make clear the true vistas and purports of our Nationality, hitherto vague & uncertain, but eligible now for the first time eligible to take definite shape, & brighter with unprecedented splendor. Profound, for years ahead & a muttered as in the echoes the air, now indeed must have absolute answers shape themselves in plain articulation demanding inquiring and answer. 2 The Union The great want for many years to come the emotional Union is the want of the only true Union. We The true Union of These States will be one, not resting on the Compacts of the Constitution only, now restored by the result of the Secession War, [but resulting the result of the most] nor kept together by Army Navy or Courts of Indicature, but [from] resting on ardent [and general] emotions and love & belief. [Then only will the Union become a living soul]. The legal union at best is only a bond tying surfaces: [is but a superficial bond, only] but the Union through [general] common [central] belief and love and pride [will would] is to hold like the principle of life, [in the human] emanating from the [centeric] centre, [really aggregating] and shooting its pulses through all. The States Thus only will [this] this [American] Union become a Living Soul. Why? Last sentence / I do not pretend to [teach or to] settle mooted questions, [nor even to teach] I [do not assume] am not here [to] this night to teach, [but present some] but to utter some passing thoughts, present some, perhaps temporary [so] impressions. These are the (over) 222 the utterances and memoranda--these are the views we get from the point, the stage, at which after [of] our [present] journey of a hundred years, after the [at which] we have now arrived. Even in telling what we think or see or know we [perhaps] advance or prepare to advance at least another [step] stage. [in our sight & our knowledge.] The first Centennial of [the] American Nationality [of These] States at] now at hand-- As we dwell on the thoughts, the facts, of the Present--as we survey & sum up the Past hundred years, [our] moods, panoramic pictures rapidly chase each other, like [rapi] alterations of darkest clouds & brightest sun. [In the p] Picturing the civilized world of 1776--Europe? of course constituting the bulk of it Young Geroge T[t]hird King of England--Frederic the Great busy fashioning his Prussia-France under ? Louis 16, gay and brilliant & witty, but seething & bubbling, were the first movements of [the] her soon to come Revolution-- (What characteristic events of State? Europe--Swedenborg, Voltaire, Rousseau, Kant, (who in England? Spain? -- who just gone off the stage? Even the mere conception & the attempt of giving us something which will be our own, with neither foreign imagery, nor foreign 3 223 form nor rule, but adapted to our own case, grown out of associations, pourtraying the west, [the powerful masses of the people] pourtraying [the] America, with national soul, & imbued with fervid [but] and [is a bl superb ample] all-including patriotism, is a [is a great thing] grand idea; and he who, with resolute heart and hand [does that] makes the attempt to carry out that idea alone, whatever his faults, [or supposed faults,] & even if he fails, is in my opinion a [more deserves more than all of his country &] doing better service than the most brilliant [laborer] achievements in the fields, already occupied. [to perfection. his country's political representatives, than the entire mass of the rest of the authors & so-called poets of the country now living among us.] finale Remaining (?) after ortic (?) Literature Literature Material for Centennia The first Centennial of American Nationality [of These states] now at hand - As we dwell on the thoughts the facts of the present - as we survey & sum up the Past hundred years. [our] moods, panoramic pictures mankind (?) chase each other, like (?) alterations of darkest clouds & brightest sun. [just the] Picturing the civilized world of 1776 - Europe; of course constituting the bulk of it Young George Third King of England - Frederick the Great busy fashioning his Prussia - France under Louis 16, gay and brilliant & witty, but movement of the [her even to come] Revolution - what characteristic events of state? Europe- -Swedenborg, Voltaire, Rousseau, Rousseau, Kant, (who in England? Spain?) -who first gone off the stage? I do not pretend to [teach or to] settle mooted questions, [nor even(?) to teach] I am not here to try (?) [but present some] but to write some passing thoughts Present some, perhaps Temporary impressions. These are the utterances and memorandum - these are the views we get from the point - the stage of our [present] journey of a hundred years. (?) we have now arrived. Even in telling what we think we see or know we [perhaps] advance or prepare to advance at least another stage. [our light & our knowledge.] The union The great want for many years to come in the want of a [the emotional Union the only] true union. of these states [We] The True Union of These States will be one, not resting on the Compacts of the Constitution only, (nor restored by the result of the Secession War, [but arising] nor kept together by Army Navy or Courts of Judicature, [resulting The result of the most] but [from] resting on ardent [and general] emotions and love & belief. [Then only will the Union become a living soul.] The legal union at least is only a bond trying surfaces: [is but a superficial bond] [only] but The Union through [general] common [central] belief and love and pride [will] [would] is to hold like the principle of life, [in the human] emanating from the [rock aggregate] and shouting its pulses through all. The States [centario] centre. Thus only will [thus] this [American] Union become a Living Soul. Why? last Sentence Much of this is used in "Tis But 10 Years Since The Centennial *(argue amid all [the] to-day's unprecedented corruption in legislative & official life) The first Centennial of the Union of These States [drawing close to home] [drawing nigh] -- the Secession [Attempt and] war of 1861-5 already becoming its most important yet undeveloped a thing of the past, in changing our destinies, & giving cast to the future in its results ([although yet] though potent far, in far beyond any thought yet expressed,) [in] [changing our destinies, & giving cast to the future) --] --the new & fresh generations [at sweeping] [in more] [less & less conscious of the furious] [fierce] [rapidly obliterating] passions [& scars & man] of that [war] contest & the years preceding it -- [of] the scars & mutilations [the worst of them. [healed] sloughed over, of the war, or the worst of them, even now, healed -- [the incredible expansion] [of the United States] [The amazing progress] [of the republic -- The [United States] [Republic] Their Union restored & [written?] doubled, trebled solidity identity & [vaulting] vaults in all appearances to [the] dominant position [of] among the [*used*] {governments of the world, in extent population, & the latent resources of naval and military power -- the 22d Presidentiad, upon us & ¶ The important questions [se] [forever] settled, clinched [for good] forever by the reëlection of Gen. Grant [to the 2] these, [bring one to somebody] and the like of these, in my opinion, to stand at last on solid ground the true vistas and [carrying] [formation] purports of [this Republic] out Nationality. hitherto vague & uncertain but eligible now for the first time eligible to take [defiant] definite I hope & [of] brighter [ages with] unprecedented splendor. Profound questions for [some time] years [expressed] only [???tlerdays] as in the echoes of the air. Now [indeed must have absolute answers.--] I hope themselves in plain articulations demanding inquiry and answer. Has not the time arrived Is it not time here Even the mere conception and the attempt of giving us something which will be our own with neither foreign imagery nor foreign forms nor rule, but adapted to our case, grown out of our associations, pourtraying the west, [the powerful] [masses of the people] pourtraying [the] America, with national soul & imbued with fervid [but] and [ample] all-including patriotism, is a [is a great thing] grand idea; and he who, with resolute heart and hand [does that] makes the attempt to carry out that idea alone, whatever his faults, [a supposed fault] & even if he fails in my opinion a [may] doing better service than the most brilliant [labors] is [deserves more than all of his country, &] achievements in the fields & political already occupied. [to perfection] [his countrys representations, than the entire] mass of the rest of the [authors &] so-called poets [of the country] now living [any?] [???] [*finate*] Attorney General's Office, Washington 186 Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.